The creation of the universe and of humanity

• Genesis: '"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."'
• Creation in Genesis

  1. God creates plants

  2. God creates birds

  3. God creates sea creatures

  4. God creates animals

  5. God creates human beings
• Human beings created "in the image of God"


  Humans have a special status
• Human beings


  • Placed in charge of the earth on God's behalf - stewardship
• God's creation was perfect, "God saw what he had made and it was very good."
• God's omnipotence


  • Creates with just a word, e.g. "Let there be light"
• The Trinity and Creation

  Christians believe that the three persons of the Trinity were involved in creation:

  • God the Father “Created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis)

  • Genesis chapter 1 states, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”, which Christians believe is a reference to the Holy Spirit.

  • John’s Gospel begins with the words, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God … Through him all things were made.” The Word is a reference to Jesus; Christians believe that Jesus was also present and involved in creation.
• Different Christian interpretations of the creation story

  • Most Christians believe God created the world, but do not take the creation story in Genesis literally. They regard it as a symbolic account written by people with little scientific understanding, and accept the Big Bang and evolution as the means by which God created the universe and life.
  • Other Christians believe the Biblical account of creation fits with the scientific accounts - a 'day' in Genesis could mean a very long period of time, and the order of life creation in Genesis ties in with evolution.
  • A minority of Christians believe the Biblical account of creation is correct and reject scientific theories which contradict the Bible. They believe the fossil record can be explained by Noah's flood and the earth was created to look billions of years old from the start. These Christians are often called creationists.
• The creation story is important to Christians today because:

  • It reminds them that the earth and everything in it belongs to God.

  • Human beings are the only creatures created in God’s image, so they have a special dignity and value.

  • Human beings have been given the responsibility of being stewards, to care for the earth on God’s behalf.

  • People will be judged by God on the way they treat the world and its inhabitants